Creed

Making a living can be deadly work

Act 1: Epilogue

21

JUL/17

Captain Tash sat uncomfortably in his seat, adjusting the collar to his crisp Imperial uniform. The captain had served valiantly in action for over a decade and had always found the starchiness of his uniform to be a welcome sensation, but today… it felt constricting. He felt like a guilty man being interrogated, which struck him as strange given that he was rather proud of his career and station as the captain of the Victory Class Star Destroyer 'Charger'.

The main reason for his discomfort was the strange woman who had just stepped aboard their ship. She was striking, tall, and gave off the air of someone who would sooner slit your throat than share an awkward conversation. She wore no rank insignia, gave no name, and had the sort of clearance codes that told the captain that if she'd ordered them into a sun; the only question would be which one of Tatooine's two to point at.

"Captain, I want to thank you for your cooperation in this matter" she began as she paced the briefing lounge. The large room usually seated the command crew of the Charger, but tonight it was just the two of them.

"Of course, anything I can do for the Inquisitors" answered the captain nervously. While he had never met an inquisitor, he had certainly heard enough stories of them to be worried. Entire capital ships vanishing with all hands because the mysterious branch of the Emperor's independent operatives demanded it so.

"Excellent. Well, my men have gone through your sensor logs regarding your patrol over Tatooine and I'm sure you will find it of some comfort that we will be departing shortly"

The captain said nothing, keeping his eyes fixed on the large Imperial logo affixed to the wall across from him. He felt like a cadet being dressed down.

"There is just one final matter that I need to resolve, and its about the three pilots and their fighters. I understand Delta 7, 8, and 9 were piloted by these three on an air patrol yesterday?" she continued, sliding across a datapad for the captain to view. Tash took a moment to glance at through and nodded twice, he was fairly familiar with his crew and lik-

"Excellent, please tell your security to apprehend them at once and have them brought to my shuttle"

This time Tash felt the need to speak, he knew the three rookiees, they were young pilots fresh from the academy and he had seen how bright their faces had looked when he gave his orientation speech on their first day aboard the Charger.

"Excuse me Inquisitor but… may I ask what you intend to do with them?"

"You can, but I would not if I were you. Have their personal affects disposed of. You will find the datapads include a new captains log we would like you to record over the one you submitted yesterday"

The captain flipped through the speech quickly, noticing most of the words were identical except for…

"That ship that tried to jump into hyperspace from the surface? According to this log you want me to say that it shot down my three pilots before being shot down in turn as a fleeing pirate?!"

The inquisitor was already at the door, her hand against the frame waiting to open the door. She didn't answer the captain's question, but merely looked at him with a glance that suggested that one way or another; this log was going in the books. The only decision to make was whether it would be done by Tash or his soon-to-be-chosen replacement.

Captain Tash reached out a shaky hand to the comlink tied to the desk as she left, signaling the security chief. Whatever that ship was, he began to feel like the memory of those three smiling young faces who would soon be 'erased' was a smaller price to pay than whatever hell that ship was worth…